"Pfft…"
Blood sprayed violently as a body slammed into the ground, staining the earth in moments.
Donquixote Doflamingo lay there, his body riddled with wounds so deep that bone was clearly visible. Torn flesh and the heavy stench of blood filled the air, a horrifying sight even by pirate standards. The once arrogant King of Dressrosa was pale, his strength completely spent.
There was no doubt about it.
Doflamingo had been defeated, and it was a crushing defeat.
Lucien descended slowly from the sky, stopping just a foot above the ground. He moved sideways and came to stand before Doflamingo. From the base of his spine, a black thorny vine emerged, twisting through the air like a living serpent before plunging straight into Doflamingo's heart.
A sharp pain exploded in Doflamingo's chest.
His mind blurred as an overwhelming surge of foreign blood flooded his body. It spread violently, transforming and burning through him like a ravenous swarm, devouring everything in its path.
As massive quantities of Demonic Blood were injected, Doflamingo's shattered body began to convulse uncontrollably. His muscles twitched, veins bulged grotesquely, and his face twisted into an expression of unbearable agony. Beneath his shattered sunglasses, his bloodshot eyes trembled with both pain and disbelief.
Even Lucien was mildly surprised.
The amount of Demonic Blood Doflamingo managed to endure was astonishing. It was nearly on par with Cracker and Smoothie, second only to Katakuri.
So far, among everyone Lucien had transformed, Katakuri had endured the most Demonic Blood, followed closely by Cracker, Smoothie, and now Doflamingo.
As the transformation progressed, the wounds that exposed bone began to heal rapidly. Flesh writhed and regenerated, knitting together at a visible pace as Doflamingo's body was forcibly reshaped into a demonic form.
About ten minutes later, Doflamingo slowly regained consciousness.
Dark lines and eerie patterns spread across his body, pulsing faintly. His aura had not only recovered, it was stronger than before.
"What did you do to me?!" Doflamingo roared.
He clenched his fists, feeling the immense power coursing through his body. It was overwhelming, intoxicating, and utterly terrifying.
"I gave you power," Lucien replied calmly, his amethyst eyes unmoved. "And immortality. Doesn't it feel good?"
"You want to turn me into your slave."
At first, Doflamingo had not fully understood. But as information about his altered body flooded his mind, his expression twisted violently. Five colored threads wrapped around his right hand as he lashed out at Lucien in a sudden attack.
He was Donquixote Doflamingo.
Even if granted power and immortality, he would never bow as someone's slave.
"You already are my slave now."
Doflamingo's face contorted into a furious sneer. His right hand stopped abruptly, frozen less than a decimeter from Lucien's eyes.
He could not move it.
No matter how hard he tried, his body refused to obey him.
Even Katakuri had been subdued by Lucien, let alone Doflamingo.
From the moment the transformation was complete, Doflamingo had effectively lost himself. As long as Lucien willed it, his thoughts, memories, and even his life or death could be controlled at any time.
"I prefer obedient subordinates," Lucien said indifferently.
He raised a finger and tapped Doflamingo on the forehead.
In that instant, Doflamingo felt something fundamental change. His resistance shattered as Lucien rewrote the deepest layers of his will, just as he had done to Katakuri. From this moment on, Lucien's authority would stand above everything else.
Without Lucien's command, Doflamingo could not even choose death.
Half an hour later, inside the dilapidated castle atop King's Heights, Lucien sat leisurely on a sofa with his legs crossed. A cigarette burned between his fingers as smoke drifted lazily into the air.
Across from him, Doflamingo, Trebol, Lao G, Law, Sugar, and the others sat in silence. The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive.
Trebol had also been turned into a demon.
"Let's begin," Lucien said.
His gaze shifted to Sugar, Law, and the two unconscious figures lying at his feet.
They were Diamante and Pica.
"Yes," Sugar replied.
"ROOM…"
Law expanded his Room, covering the entire hall to prevent any accidents, while Sugar released Pica's contract.
As her ability faded, Pica reverted to his original form.
Before he could even fully regain awareness, a black thorny vine pierced straight through his heart. Demonic Blood surged into him without mercy.
Pica's body immediately began to twitch violently, his transformation starting almost instantly.
Two to three minutes later, another demon stood in the room.
The same process followed for Diamante.
One by one, the core members of the Donquixote Family were taken.
With the exception of a few insignificant figures who were still away, the entire Donquixote Family now belonged to Lucien.
Next, following his established plan, Lucien would extend his reach further. The other Seven Warlords, the underworld brokers, the Four Emperors, the Marines, the World Government, even the Revolutionary Army.
When the entire world was under his control, he would finally confront those few terrifying existences that stood above everything else.
Lucien refused to believe he could not defeat them then.
Sometimes, even he felt that his methods were despicable and sinister.
But there was no denying it.
This feeling was exhilarating.
"Recall all remaining cadres," Lucien said, waving his hand dismissively. "Then continue your duties as usual."
"Yes," they answered in unison.
Lucien paused, suddenly recalling something.
"The princess of the Tontatta Tribe," he said. "Is she in your custody?"
"Yes."
"Bring her to me. Also, if you find suitable strong individuals, you are permitted to develop subordinates of your own and grant them blood."
"Yes."
...
Lovers' Avenue was one of Dressrosa's most famous streets.
As the name suggested, it catered to couples, but it was also home to legitimate foot massage parlors, spas, and various entertainment venues. As a prosperous kingdom, Dressrosa naturally possessed a complete service industry.
The first rays of sunlight streamed onto a balcony as a gentle breeze stirred the sheer curtains.
Lucien woke from the pristine white bed, stretching lazily as a pleasant numbness spread through his body.
After taking control of Doflamingo and his group the previous day, Lucien had not remained at King's Heights. Instead, he had chosen to rest at one of Dressrosa's high end foot massage parlors.
The owner, unsurprisingly, was still Doflamingo.
Long Arm Tribe, Long Leg Tribe, and other charming women worked there. They were skilled, conversational, and attentive.
Lucien had no particular virtue.
He simply enjoyed helping others.
Ten minutes later, Lucien exited the establishment alone, intending to stroll through Dressrosa.
Lovers' Avenue was relatively quiet.
After all, a massive battle had taken place just yesterday.
Yet overnight, all traces of destruction had vanished, as if nothing had happened. Clearly, Pica's Stone Stone Fruit had been put to good use.
After visiting Lovers' Avenue, the Corrida Colosseum, and Green Bit, Lucien planned to inspect Doflamingo's weapon manufacturing factory.
Then he stopped.
A streak of fire tore across the sky, trailing a long tail as it shot toward King's Heights.
Lucien narrowed his eyes, surprise flickering across his face.
"Fire Fist Ace."
He could not be mistaken.
"Why is he here?"
Lucien lit another cigarette, observing King's Heights in silence.
Should he eliminate Ace here?
With himself and Doflamingo's forces, the odds were very high.
As for the consequences, at worst, the blame could be pushed onto the Marines. Marineford would still happen as planned.
He could even take advantage of the chaos.
The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.
This was luck delivered straight to his doorstep.
Discarding the cigarette butt, Lucien's expression hardened.
He had made his decision.
Boom.
Suddenly, two overwhelming pressures erupted from King's Heights. The clear sky darkened instantly as massive clouds rolled in. Black and red lightning split the heavens, crashing downward in violent arcs.
A storm of pure will expanded outward, its shockwaves rippling across Dressrosa.
This was a clash of Haoshoku Haki.
Even the sky itself seemed to tear apart.
Within King's Heights, two monstrous wills collided head-on.
Doflamingo staggered back several steps, his face grim. To his shock, he was at a disadvantage.
Around them, Trebol, Diamante, and the others retreated rapidly, staring at the apocalyptic scene unfolding at the center, not daring to even breathe.
___
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